Dana Williamson pleads guilty in $225K campaign fraud scheme

Dana Williamson, the former Chief of Staff for California Governor Gavin Newsom, has pleaded guilty to three felony charges as part of a plea deal. The charges include campaign finance fraud, lying to the FBI, and filing a false tax return.

Williamson was involved in a scheme to siphon approximately $225,000 from a dormant political campaign account belonging to Xavier Becerra. The funds were allegedly funneled to Becerra's former aide, Sean McCluskie. During legal proceedings, Williamson's defense attorney argued she was acting to "help a friend in a hard time" while seeking a lighter sentence.